After a protracted illness, actor Hiram Kasten, who gained notoriety in stand-up comedy and network TV series like “Seinfeld,” passed away in western New York on Sunday, according to his family.
Hiram Kasten And His Battle With Cancer
The actor had reportedly been fighting prostate cancer, according to the Facebook post. According to the message, “only hours after their 38th wedding anniversary,” the actor passed away in the arms of his wife Diana Kisiel Kastenbaum.
In addition to cancer, Kasten has battled Crohn’s disease for the past seven years. He died at his Batavia, New York, home. The statement stated that although Kasten’s health had declined and he was no longer performing or actively pursuing his career, “he only began to share the terminality of it all with his friends in the last six months,” starting in 2017.
In a statement announcing his passing, the family noted, “Hiram Kasten loved show business and lived his dream of being in show business.”
The Family Comments On Their Loss
The family stated that Kasten had been “fighting through a multitude of illnesses” for the previous seven years, “including prostate cancer.” His cause of death was not made public.
His relatives remarked, “His great comedy and artistic community rallied to his side.” “Some made trips to Batavia to visit him, late night Zoom meetings with friends on both coasts ensued and went into the wee hours of the morning.”
Throughout the 1980s, Kasten—a lifelong Yankees fan from the Bronx—became a regular on New York City’s comedy scene, appearing in venues like Comedy Cellar and The Comic Strip.
He was passionate about humor and would frequently work long weekends, performing at distant locations like Staten Island and New Jersey before racing back to Manhattan for late-night performances.
Hiram Kasten: Professional Career
Kasten’s most well-known role was that of Michael on “Seinfeld,” which aired from 1993 to 1994. Being a regular performer at The Comic Strip, a famed club that had hosted Jerry Seinfeld, helped the actor become well-known in the comedy world. He was able to establish himself in the NYC comedy scene because to this.
Diana stated in the article that Seinfeld “passed Hiram on his first audition and he became a regular,” and the two went on to “strike up a friendship that has lasted for 45 years.”
Kasten appeared in other television shows in addition to “Seinfeld,” including “Saved By the Bell,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “Cybill,” “Mad About You,” and “Everybody Loves Raymond.” Kasten continued to appear on television shows in the early 2000s, including “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” “My Wife and Kids,” and “7th Heaven.”
According to the New York Post, the actor, who was born in the Bronx, is survived by his wife Diana, daughter Millicent Jade, and brother-in-law Kevin John Kisiel.
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